The Art of Tattooing #2

     Have you ever wondered why tattooing is a big deal? Who first started it? Why am I going to get this ink put in me? Initially, when tattooing began to get big, many thought it was taboo to get a tattoo. It's stated in the book "The Cultural Heritage of Tattooing: A Brief History" For decades, "people around the world have tattooed human skin to communicate various ontological, psychosocial, and sociocultural concepts encompassing beauty, cultural identity, status and position, medicine, and supernatural protections." 

    Consider the Māori tribe and how they are known for their tattoos. The tribe's traditional tattoos are known as the Ta Moko. This is the famous facial tattoo you'll see the men and women of the tribe wear proudly. The Māori art is like no other! There isn't a tattoo that looks the same. Each piece is crafted to represent one's life journey. This is what makes them so unique! 

https://www.zealandtattoo.co.nz/tattoo-styles/maori-tattoo/

    This photo, this man has a full-face moko. This is a way he communicates his status, lines of descent, and tribal affiliation.

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19628418

    In this photo, a woman has received her Moko kauae- this is when the women of the Māori tribe get their lips and chin tattooed. This represents a woman's whanau and leadership within her community, recognizing her whakapapa, status, and abilities.

    Back to the aspects of tattoos. Many people also get tattoos because of the therapeutic side. Some will describe the tattoo process as like acupuncture treatment. There are also artists who will tattoo customers for 3-5 hours straight with no break. It all depends on how high one's pain tolerance is. Then some just go and get tattoos because their mind can stop and focus on the tattoo. These tattoos date all the way back to Egypt. In 2018, two mummies with the oldest known figurative tattoos were discovered. So many countries besides the United States incorporate tattoos into their culture. As of right now, Italy is ranked with one of the heist rates of tattooed people in the world. Sweden and, of course, the United States follow closely with the high rates of tattooed people. 

    The history of tattoos and tattooing goes way back. There are still so many techniques to talk about and how they do stencils, coloring, shading, and lining. Oh, and you can't forget about the 15 different tattoo categories. That will be for another entry. As for now what kind of tattoo do you want?